What Do Teachers Want From Tech Tools?

Too often when we discuss technology and what to use in our classrooms we get caught by the flashy gadgets, the promises of something new, or the latest tool to be sweeping the community We think we need the newest thing to keep us current and connected. We think we need more tools to have better tech integration. And yet, I often find that it is not so much about getting more tech, but rather using the things I have better. So what does this teacher really want from her tech tools?

User friendliness. I am not afraid of technology, meaning I will gladly play around with something until I make it work, but sometimes even I throw in the towel. If a new tool is not something I can figure out a little within a half an hour then I doubt it will find a permanent home in my classroom.

Global Collaboration. I love integrating things that can connect my students to the world. So whether it is a Kidblog account, a Chromebook, or a digital camera, the tech I use needs to serve a higher purpose of creating global citizens.

Ease of Integration. I like to bring in a new tool or site and then see how easily my students gravitate towards it. How easily do they find ways to integrate it into our every day learning. That is not to say that it all has to be easy, but if my students never use it (like our Livescribe pen) then I know it is not the best fit for us.

Multi-people-functionality. I have many gripes about SmartBoards, but a huge one is that only one child can use it at one time. I have 26 students, they need to be engaged in their learning at all times. Watching one kid (or one teacher) write on a fancy board does not equal engagement.

Reliability. For a tool to truly find a permanent home in my classroom it has prove itself over and over. It needs to work when we need it to work, and although we will excuse the occasional glitches, if a tool proves to be unreliable then I am not wasting my time on it anymore.

Security. I am entrusted with 10 and 11 year old’s as they venture online and get connected so whatever we use in our classroom has to provide me with a level of safety for these kids. That doesn’t mean filters to block out the world, but ways to keep these kids’ information and work safe while exploring the world.

Accessibility. The best tools live in the cloud or are portable, most of the time.

Purpose. The tools we use need to have a deeper purpose of enhancing our curriculum, not just be a flashy tool to get my students’ attention. So if we are investing our time using something, then there needs to be a deeper purpose behind it.

Fun. Who can forget fun? Tech tools should also be fun to use (most of the time) otherwise they just become one more thing to do. We don’t need more things we have to do.

What things do you look for when picking a tool for your classroom?

I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students” will be released this March from Powerful Learning Press. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

5 thoughts on “What Do Teachers Want From Tech Tools?”

Reblogged this on Intersections and commented:
This is going off topic from a blog post that is due for class. I appreciate blogs like this because I want to know what teachers want. Today, I went to EdCampOKC!! It was amazing. I will talk about it more on another blog post but I learned that if you want to work in education sector you need to understand the teachers and their kids. I want to build edtech tools for students, teachers, and parents. How can I do that if I don’t understand where they are coming from? Seeking out their pain points, interests, needs, and the wiggle room they have we can help create better tools. Better yet, let us include them in the development process. We can step away from thinking we know or even asking once and then coming back with a finished product. Engaging the teachers and students through the whole process to make them feel as if they helped build it which they should. None of these tools would be possible without their input and approval.

If you don’t have the support of the teacher, then what do you really have at all?

Reblogged this on LearningMYway and commented:
There is so much out there for teachers to incorporate into our class programmes… This post from a blog I follow summed up my thoughts also about how we decide which tools are best.

Beautifully said, especially about tools “need to serve higher purpose of creating global citizens”. I’m not a teacher but a parent and learning tool developer who was also seeking additional value. I think we have managed in a certain way to carry out “higher purpose” because we have managed to make personalized learning based on children talents. It means that early childhood learning style is used to adopt new skills. From practice, kids love approach learning and fostering talents. http://www.gabrielsseeds.eu

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Of course these opinions, musings, rants and reflections do not express the opinion of my employer. One would be crazy to think that one single teacher could be the mouth piece for an entire district. Nor are my posts meant to offend mostly, nor mislead but rather provide a snapshot of my mind at a certain point in time on a topic.
So please feel free to disagree, agree, compliment or discourage further blogging but promise to not think this is in any way an official mode of communication for my employer. These are my opinions and while I stand behind them right now they may change so while you are at it, don't hold that against me either.

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